


Trouble on the Express

by Lyn_Laine



Series: A Matter of Time [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-27 01:30:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12570684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyn_Laine/pseuds/Lyn_Laine
Summary: In this timeline, Harry Potter's meeting with Malfoy's gang as a first year on the Express goes... a little differently.  One-shot.





	Trouble on the Express

Five boys entered the Hogwarts Express compartment, and Harry recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin’s robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he’d shown back in Diagon Alley.

“Is it true?” he said. “They’re saying all down the train that Harry Potter’s in this compartment. So it’s you, is it?”

“Yes,” said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. While the boy talking had pale, pointed features and white blond hair, another boy was tall for his age and pale with dark hair, another smaller and sallower with aquiline features and a mop of greasy black hair. Standing on either side of them like bodyguards were two massive, troll-looking boys.

“This is Crabbe and Goyle,” said the pale blond boy of the two trolls, “and -”

“We can introduce ourselves,” the tall dark-haired boy interrupted. The blond glared; the tall boy gave him a single, cold smile and the blond got a little paler and backed down. “My name is Tom Riddle,” he said, “and I am very interested in you.”

“That’s unfortunate,” said Harry. “I’m not interested in people who are interested in me.”

Mild anger flickered across the boy’s features for a moment, but his dark eyes remained locked on Harry. 

“My name is Severus Snape,” said the greasy-haired boy in a quieter voice, a mild smirk upon his face as if he was enjoying the upset.

“And my name’s Malfoy,” said the blond smugly. “Draco Malfoy.”

“You’re going to want to listen to him, as you’re new here,” Snape warned, nodding to Malfoy. “His family is powerful, all-wizard. It’s the only reason Riddle’s here. I’m a Halfblood, but Riddle’s from Muggles.”

Riddle glared and Snape looked back calmly.

But Malfoy was glaring at Ron, who looked like he was trying to hold back laughter. “Think my name’s funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford.”

He turned back to Harry. “You’ll soon find out some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You can see two here who have already learned that lesson.” 

Though neither of them looked happy to be considered followers and it didn’t look like either would take it for very long. Harry remembered what Hagrid had said about the Dark Side and Voldemort, about some people just being attracted to power. But what happened when all the powerful people started vying, he wondered cannily? What would happen in this group?

Malfoy was still talking. “You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. We can help you there.”

He held out his hand to shake Harry’s, but Harry didn’t take it.

“I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks,” he said coolly. All of the first year boys he had spoken to flushed red.

“Well, don’t we think we’re special,” said Snape with a slight sneer.

Malfoy had flushed pink. “I’d be careful if I were you, Potter -” he began spitefully.

But Riddle held out a calm hand. “Relax, boys,” he said softly. “Isn’t it obvious? We’ve insulted his friend. Loyalty is to be valued.”

He glanced at Ron, who paled a little and glared defensively. Then Riddle turned back to Harry and smirked.

“I hope you are happy with the ally you have chosen,” he said coldly, his eyes sharp and deceptively angry. Vicious smirks suddenly crossed his fellows’ faces. “I am interested to see what becomes of you and what secrets you hold… Harry Potter.”

The group of future Slytherin boys ghosted out of the compartment, Crabbe and Goyle on either side of them, even as Hermione Granger fresh from meeting with Neville Longbottom came toward Harry and Ron’s compartment.

“I think you just made some enemies,” Ron warned Harry. “I think you just made some enemies who are way too fascinated by you.”

“I think I just did the right thing,” Harry returned, more calmly than he felt, and Ron smiled a little.

**Author's Note:**

> The big fic that follows this one-shot will not be regurgitated canon text. But I needed to emphasize the timeline and its upcoming divergence into three separate directions. 
> 
> Basically, in three timelines all combined into one fic, Harry will be Sorted into the other three houses besides Gryffindor. Pairings? The three basic pairings already shown in this series. One for each Harry.
> 
> And yes, there will be a reason for the Sorting switch that is more elaborate than "shit is different here." Though it _will_ technically be in the end because shit is different here.


End file.
